Green machine— Amsterdam

Preface

“It’s all about the freshest ingredients, their taste and aroma,” says chef Ronald Kunis (above) as he shows monocle around the extensive kitchen gardens of De Kas restaurant in Amsterdam’s Frankendael park. When owner Gert-Jan Hageman opened it in 2001, De Kas was the only restaurant in the city using sustainably sourced produce. “Today even the smallest eatery is into sustainable and organic food,” says Kunis. “Back then we were considered revolutionary – if not ‘hippie’.”

Kunis joined De Kas as sous-chef after stints at London’s River Café and…

Roasted tomato soup

The method

Roast the tomatoes and garlic in preheated oven [200C] for 30 minutes. Place in a blender, add olive oil, thyme, rosemary and blend for 30 seconds.

Season with salt, pepper, Tabasco and lemon juice and serve warm or chilled, garnished with basil and tomato slices.

Growth industry

The nursery

With the freshest ingredients at heart, De Kas prides itself on using the best produce, most of it harvested from its own soil. Apart from the beautiful greenhouse and garden with Mediterranean herbs and edible flowers that’s attached to the restaurant, De Kas also owns a large field in the Beemster region, a 20-minute drive from the capital. While you can find owner Gert-Jan Hageman and chef Ronald Kunis taking care of the restaurant’s nursery on a daily basis, from May to October there are also guided tours to the fields in Beemster and hands-on workshops on everything to do with fruit and veg. With 16 types of tomatoes available and 1,200 sq m of land, there is indeed a lot to learn (and taste).

Yorkshireman John Pawson is an architect and designer who has lived in Japan and is known for his stripped-back designs. For his last meal he chooses a seven-course meal at a Japanese restaurant in London’s Piccadilly.